FRINGE 2017: 'My Darling Dilophosaurus'

This amusing production tells the story of a girl and her dinosaur.

Sue Cohen, City Beat Cincinnati

June 1, 2017

The music sets the stage: John Williams’ theme from Steven Spielberg’s historic, prehistoric blockbuster Jurassic Park. In his program notes, writer-director Sean P. Mette says he hopes you’ll “find some of the magic that you had when you were a kid, when dinosaurs filled your imaginations with limitless possibilities.” Mette, a regular with OTRimprov and Madcap Puppets, has performed onstage locally with The Carnegie, Covedale Center and Know Theatre. He puts his talent and comic timing to good use directing My Darling Dilophosaurus, his amusing tale about a girl and her dinosaur. Autumn Kaleidoscope, a Cincinnati theatrical-based production company, stages Mette’s fanciful love story that challenges us to redefine what is normal.

The show’s title character, Deanna the Dilophosaurus, is a wonderful creature brought to life by Madcap Puppets. She’s huge and delivers big time. Kudos to Michael Galusick and Mandy Goodwin for their expert skill operating the puppet and giving her a “darling” personality.

Laura Berkemeier is Artemis Alice Lattimer, “Artie,” whose unabashed gleeful enthusiasm for paleontology sabotages her human relationship with her more serious girlfriend, Claudia Betting (Sara Kenny). Artie takes drastic measures as she desperately tries to prove to Claudia that she can “care about another living being.” Andrew Ian Adams and Cassidy Steele round out the cast. Kenny as Artie’s love interest and Adams as Artie’s best male friend give strong performances. With Steele, they are hilarious in additional roles as the story unfolds. 

Nevertheless, the star is “the obscure dinosaur for most of its existence,” according to the program notes, “until Jurassic Park brought this theropod to the main stage.” Often misunderstood — did it have feathers or not? — the Dilophosaurus in this production wins your heart. And a bonus: You’ll learn to pronounce Dilophosaurus correctly! 

CFF17: MY DARLING DILOPHOSAURUS Review

Rob Bucher, Behind the Curtain Cincinnati

June 1, 2017

MY DARLING DILOPHOSAURUS presented by Autumn Kaleidoscope as part of the 2017 Cincinnati Fringe Festival. You can read the show description here. 

Love, loss and what a dinosaur?!?!?

Autumn Kaleidoscope takes a tongue-in-cheek look at love and obsession with this year’s entry, MY DARLING DILOPHOSAURUS.

Laura Berkemeier is appropriately perky and distracted as dinosaur-obsessed Artie. As Claudia, the put-upon girlfriend, Sara Kenny finds a good balance between love and exasperation. Always fun on stage is Andrew Ian Adams as Edward who serves as semi-clueless friend, confidant, and enabler to Artie.

In their multiple supporting characters’ roles, Kenny, Adams, and Cassidy Steele are appropriately quirky and over-the-top and generate some great laugh-out-loud moments.

The scene stealer of the show is Deanna the Dilophosaurus, well-managed by her handlers: Michael Galusick and Mandy Goodwin.

The script by Sean P. Mette is cute and clever, but could be a bit more focused. For me, a brief, final scene between Artie and Claudia could have been more satisfying.

Fun, funny and family friendly, four performances remain through June 10.